Voltage converter

Abstract

A voltage converter comprises an inductive circuit (L) for storing energy during an inductive magnetizing mode and transferring energy during an inductive demagnetizing mode. In addition the voltage converter comprises at least two non-inverting branches ( 12, 13, 14 ) for providing at least two non-inverted output voltages (Va, Vb, Vc) and an inverting branch ( 15 ) for providing an inverted output voltage. The inverting ( 15 ) and non-inverting ( 12, 13, 14 ) branches being parallely coupled to an output ( 10 ) of the inductive circuit (L). The inductive circuit being arranged to transfer energy to the inverting branch ( 15 ) and to one of the at least two non-inverting branches ( 12, 13, 14 ). Through this, the inverted voltage (Vinv) and the corresponding non-inverted output voltage (Va, Vb, Vc) of the one of the at least two non-inverting branches ( 12, 13, 14 ) are having an opposite polarity and a substantially equal magnitude.

1. A voltage converter comprising:
 an inductive circuit for storing energy during an inductive magnetizing mode and transferring energy during an inductive de-magnetizing mode; 
 at least two non-inverting branches for providing at least two non-inverted output voltages and 
 an inverting branch for providing an inverted output voltage; 
 the inverting and non-inverting branches being parallely coupled to an output of the inductive circuit the inductive circuit being arranged to transfer energy to the inverting branch and to one of the at least two non-inverting branches that is activated, wherein the inverted voltage and the corresponding non-inverted output voltage of the one of the at least two non-inverting branches have an opposite polarity and a substantially equal magnitude; and 
 wherein said magnitude is determined by the selection of the one non-inverting branch that is activated. 
 
     
     
       2. The voltage converter according to  claim 1 , wherein the inverting branch comprises a capacitive circuit for storing the energy that is transferred during the inductive de-magnetizing mode and for releasing the transferred energy during the inductive magnetizing mode. 
     
     
       3. The voltage converter according to  claim 2 , wherein the capacitive circuit is arranged to receive the transferred energy through an input of the capacitive circuit while an output of the capacitive circuit is coupled to a ground voltage and wherein the capacitive circuit is further being arranged to release energy through the output while the input is coupled to the ground voltage. 
     
     
       4. The voltage converter according to  claim 3 , comprising first and second switch devices for respectively coupling the input and the output of the capacitive circuit to the ground voltage during respectively the inductive magnetizing and de-magnetizing mode. 
     
     
       5. The voltage converter according to  claim 1 , wherein the voltage converter further comprises a voltage down conversion circuit through which an input voltage is applied to the inductive circuit. 
     
     
       6. The voltage converter according to  claim 5 , wherein the voltage down-conversion circuit comprises third and fourth switch devices for alternately applying the input voltage and a ground voltage to the inductive circuit. 
     
     
       7. The voltage converter according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the at least two branches comprises a further switch device for activating the branch. 
     
     
       8. The voltage converter according to  claim 1 , wherein the voltage converter further comprises control means for controlling the switch devices. 
     
     
       9. A power management unit comprising a voltage converter according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. A mobile device comprising a power management unit according to  claim 9 .